Designing Your Own Private Garden

An overview of details and ideas to take into consideration when designing your own private garden. Adding a private garden to any home always brings a feeling of warmth and comfort to any home. There are a number of reasons why someone would want to transform their yard into a private garden. The two main reasons for most people are aesthetics and privacy. Homes with an untouched and open yard can leave an empty and cold feeling to the home. A beautiful garden goes a long way towards improving your mood. A garden adds another dimension to your house giving it not only character but another living area in your own abode. A garden can also be used to entertain guests as well as provide a personal sanctuary to recharge after a stressful day. In terms of privacy, a private garden can provide you some solitude from the outside world. A garden can be an extension of the homeowner’s personality. Adding a gazebo can add a certain flare to the garden and provides a nice accent to the home. A well-designed garden can not only be beautiful to look at but also provide some privacy from the prying of eyes of neighbours and the public. There are many things to consider before designing and building your own private garden. Here’s a related post – Steps to designing the perfect garden to give you some ideas.

Fencing

The easiest and quickest way of creating privacy for your garden is to install a fence. A fence helps to keep your neighbours from looking into your garden and yard. A fence will also provide a feeling of enclosure and safety which is good if you have children. A fence helps to keep kids in and strangers as well as animals such as cats and dogs out.

If you decide on building a fence to add privacy to your yard, choose a style and type of material that compliments your home. An alternative to using a fence to create privacy is to use existing structures instead of a fence enclosure to create privacy. For example, you can use a patio deck or a garage face to screen off an area. Related Articles:

• Award Winning Small Garden Design
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• Luxurious Small Urban Garden Getaway

If adding a fence is too blunt or stark, you can grow a hedge to give your garden a softer feel. There are numerous shrub varieties that can be used as hedges. For example, Boxwood and Privet are popular shrub types used for hedges. For a more natural appearance, you can combine a variety of shrubs. To give the hedges some character and texture, feel free to mix and match different heights, shapes, sizes and colours. Bear in mind to regularly prune your shrubs for keep the shrubs looking presentable and beautiful. For longevity, shear your shrubs so that the bottom of the shrub is always wider than the top.

Structural accents

Adding a structure like a lattice panel is an inexpensive way to create some extra privacy within the garden or hide an unwanted view. Add some vines to the lattice to give the garden a down to earth feel. Additionally, accent the lattice with a small garden bed for yet another option to beautify your garden. Consider adding a pergola or arbour, which is a shaded path or walkway to give your garden a more protected and intimate feel. The pergola can be used to protect and shade a deck or terrace help to connect two or more sections of your garden. A well-placed pergola will add some shade and class to any private garden.

Landscaping

Varying the landscape of your garden can dramatically add to the beauty and freshness of the garden. Adding a winding path or a stone walkway can gently add character to the garden without being too intrusive. You can also add various types of flowers to give the garden more colour and a more lively and robust atmosphere. Designing the garden plots in varying geometric shapes changes the nuance of the garden yet again.

Paying special attention to the presentation of the entrance can create a more inviting feel to the garden. Building an arch or adding vines and flowers can hint and prepare you for what’s to come. Carefully placed berms add texture and continuity to a garden by separating garden areas with varying hill and mound placements. Many factors come into play to making a private garden work successfully. Know what you want from your garden. Get inspired and start planning your private garden today. Recommended Reading:

• Urban Design  by Alex Krieger
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article published by SDR Return to Homepage Featured Image Credit: “Private garden 2 – Paris Opera Cadet Hotel” by Opera Cadet from PARIS, FRANCE – Private Garden (2). Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

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